Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ken was born in Toowoomba in 1917.  He was the 3rd son of a family of 7 children to George and Mary Finden.  George was an Englishman who came to Australia after his service in the Boer War where he was part of the City of London Imperial Volunteers. George was a pastry cook in London but set up a house painting business in Toowoomba.

Ken left school at 12 and worked in a few jobs including bicycle repair, pastry cook and the family's house painting business, to supplement the family income during The Depression. Like most families, Ken's family lived a very austere life with bread and dripping a common meal. 

Ken joined the Navy in 1935. He told me he chose the Navy because his grandfather was in the Royal Navy.

Ken learnt his trade as a Torpedoman (or electrician) on HMAS Canberra. He was posted to HMAS Adelaide and subsequently became part of the commissioning crew of the newly acquired HMAS Perth. The crew sailed from Australia to Southhampton crammed on the Autolycus.

Ken was always very proud of his service on HMAS Perth and the achievements of HMAS Perth. As with most vetertans Ken did not speak much about the war. In his latter years Ken told me of his time in the Atlantic and the Panama Canal, and of his time in the Mediterranean. In the Mediterranean he spoke of the horrors of the Stukas dive bombing the Perth with their Jericho trumpets screaming; the terrific noise below decks during bombing attacks; and the horrors of the bombing in general. This is all well documented by Mike Carlton in his book about the HMAS Perth.

Ken's faith sustained him through the horrors of the war and kept him going after the war. Towards the end of the Mediterranean deployment Ken was able to visit the Holy Land which meant a lot to him.

When HMAS Perth returned from the Mediterranean in August 1941, Ken was admitted to hospital and was subsequently discharged from the Navy in June 1942.

Ken worked as a storeman in Brisbane after discharge. Ken later returned to Toowoomba where he joined the Post Office. He moved up through the ranks of the Post Office in Toowoomba. He moved his family to Brisbane when he was transferred to Brisbane where he worked until retirement in 1976 due to ill-health.

In retirement Ken planned to travel and to renew his interests in cooking. Sadly his health didnt always allow this.

Sadly Ken passed away at age 63 from war related causes.